Funeral
by First Officer Winters
Summary: "You shouldn't have kept this from me." That moment in "Moment of Truth" always pissed me off. When Arthur repremands Merlin next to his BEST FRIENDS funeral pier…this is just a little glimpse of what could have happened.


Officer Winters: So I've been in the mood to write but not do my final projects…yup.

That scene when they're standing at Will's funeral pier and Arthur is all-ugh it just makes me wanna punch him.

* * *

"I'm sorry." Arthur said, the flame hot on his face. "I know he was a close friend."

"He still is." Merlin sounded different, off.

"You knew he was a sorcerer, didn't you? That's what you were going to tell me." It wasn't a question.

Merlin swallowed as he stared into the fire. "Yes, it was."

Arthur furrowed his brow. "You know how dangerous magic is. You shouldn't have kept this from me Merlin." He was about to walk away when a fist met his jaw. He was so startled he was knocked off balance and he hit the ground hard. The villagers gasped but took a few steps away from the two. Arthur looked up with a gloved hand on his cheek to see a very different Merlin.

"You don't know ANYTHING!" He said, his voice was soft but shaking with pure anger. There was something wild in his blue eyes. "Do not dis-respect Will with your petty fear."

The villagers by now left to return to their homes while Morgana, Gwen and Hunith stayed close by.

"Petty-Merlin he was a-!"

"Shut up!" Merlin nearly shouted, his fists tight against his thighs. The flames beside them grew and whipped around dangerously for a moment before calming down. "Will was my best friend, my brother! He gave his life for you! He didn't have to! We are not in Camelot Arthur!" His shoulders were shaking. "You had no right to demand anything of him, especially about magic!"

Arthur watched in disbelief as tears began to drip from his servant's eyes. After all the time they had been together, never once did Merlin cry. It was a shock to his system. Merlin opened his mouth to say something else but instead a heart wrenching cry came out. It was as if it had finally hit him that Will was gone.

Merlin dropped to his knees as his bony arms wrapped around his thin body. "Will's gone!" He cried. "He-he was always there, he-oh gods…oh gods Will!" His words stuttered as he hyperventilated. He then simply bowed his head and wept.

Arthur felt like his stomach was caving in. Careless. That's what he was. Selfish and a jealous prick. He had seen how close Merlin was to that boy, almost too close and it made his blood boil. When he had seen the magic wind it wasn't anger he felt, it was relief. Merlin's meager home was saved, Hunith would be fine and Merlin would come back to Camelot with him. But he knew his duty and asked who the magic came from.

Merlin's voice when Will collapsed, arrow in his heart was awful to hear. The gasps from Will on the table were worse. "What are you gonna do? Kill me?" Will had asked. Merlin's eyes flew up to meet Arthur's at such a speed Arthur felt the strange sensation of shame.

"No of course not." he had said. He had left after that, needing to leave so that Merlin's accusing gaze could not land upon him any longer.

Now seeing Merlin come undone in the flames of his best friends funeral pier was horrible. Careless, Arthur called himself again. Ignoring the sharp throbbing of his jaw, Arthur got to his knees and crawled over to his serva-friend. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry Merlin, I'm so sorry." he whispered as he reached out to touch Merlin's shoulder.

Merlin flinched away for a moment but allowed Arthur pull him into an embrace. "I shouldn't-god Merlin I'm so sorry." Merlin obviously didn't care that Arthur's armor was pressing into him as his grip on his prince tightened.

They sat there until the flames died down, the heat keeping them warm from the cold night. "We should be going." Merlin murmured. Arthur didn't move except to shift his cheek on Merlin's head, surprisingly soft black hair tickling his eyelashes.

"You don't need to stay with your mother?" Merlin hummed.

"She knows where to find me."

* * *

Officer Winters: Kind of an incomplete thought really…ah well


End file.
